Time for Art

Lady in Waiting

2012-01-09T14:15:00.000-05:00

Lady in Waiting describes what I have been doing for sometime - waiting for my bad back to allow me to get up and at it again -painting, blogging and general mischief. It is also the title of one of the last paintings I completed while still 'frisky'. She was a lonely lady sitting on the steps of the old city of Talin, Estonia.Was she waiting for someone or something, or just homeless and sad? This painting was going to be a companion piece for the man in 'Roses for Sale', but he has since gone to a good home. Hopefully she will find one too.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! In my next blog, I plan to review my art resolutions from last year. Stay tuned!

Lady in Waiting

Art and Monkey Business

2011-12-06T20:45:00.000-05:00

The headline in the Toronto Star was "Can you spot the monkey's masterpiece?" What a relief that I quickly identified the work of American abstract expressionist Joan Mitchell. The other painting was by a monkey in a sanctuary who "paints" with all his appendages. At some point he was given non-toxic paint to keep him busy. He is one of two dozen animals that have been rescued from research labs, zoos, and pet stores etc. His name is Pockets Warhol and he is becoming famous, but not handsome as you can see.

Pockets

His paintings will be in exhibition at Sadie's Diner and Juice Bar in Toronto for two months and are expected to sell for $25 dollars and up. The proceeds are going toward improvements at the Story Book Farms sancuary for primates, his home. Pockets has a Facebook page with a gallery of all his paintings. Here is a sample:

Not too shabby for a monkey shiner. Sort of humbling? Now back to painting. Use your tail!

Pushing Paint Around

2011-11-23T20:11:00.001-05:00

I know all about planning for a painting involving thumbnail sketches, value patterns, and colour organization. Sometimes however, it feels great to just "push the paint around". This happens when inspiration is on holiday, or you are tired, or sometimes even when you are feeling "frisky" and adventurous. This approach is based on the philosophy that if you don't know what to do, you just start painting and occasionally something happens. At the very least you have loosened up to proceed with another painting, or you just simply have had fun.

This small acrylic painting is one of those pushing efforts. This is the first time I have used Iridescent Bright Gold by Liquitex and I liked the subtle sheen it provided. What do you think? Back to the drawing board?

Blogging from Black to White and Blue

2011-11-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

If you tuned in today, you are probably wondering about the "older" posts that are featured. I decided to change the background of the blog, as the white text in most cases was not showing up on the emails of subscribers. After hours of fiddling, I changed the template but then had to go back through all posts to change some of the text colour. As a result, the order of the posts has changed. They can still be reached however in the correct month in the "archive". I think that this is how we procrastinate instead of just painting !! I hope you find the new template fresher and easier to read.

A successful art sale and exhibition of paintings by the North Toronto Group of Artists has just finished at Blessed Sacrament at Yonge and Lawrence with an attendance of approximately 900 guests. The Yonge/Lawrence Art Walk which preceded the exhibition, featured art works in the windows and interiors of local businesses. Since I was assigned the window of "Cruise Holidays", I felt that travel paintings were in order and the staff were very helpful in arranging the window space. The photo below, although not the most clear and with reflections of Yonge St. activity, gives some idea of the window.

"They Can't Take That Away From Me"

2011-10-09T20:29:00.008-04:00

I I have just bought the latest "duets" album by Tony Bennett. What an inspiration! His voice sounds as strong as ever, he swings with the likes of Lady Gaga and he paints! He has a career that spans over five decades and has nine Grammies to his credit.
His first ambition, however, was to be a painter. He has followed up his childhood interest with training, sketching and painting every day, and now has exhibitions in galleries around the world. Many paintings now at the Smithsonian, have been done of Central Park from his window, and many more from his world-wide travels. He was chosen as the official artist for the 2001 Kentucky Derby and was commissioned by the United Nations to do two paintings, including one for their 50th anniversary. He is also the founder of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Asotria. His paintings sell for as much as $80,000
They can't take away the creative drive of Tony Bennett who is still going strong at 85. One of his books, Tony Bennett in the Studio: A life of Art and Music, 2007 has this wonderful quote; "The more you paint, the more you realize how beautiful life is. To be alive, how wonderful life is. What a gift we have. That helps you get past the bad times."
Check into www.bendettoarts.com but until then here are a couple of samples of his work.

Live long and paint!

Fall Back to Fall

2011-09-18T11:16:00.003-04:00

I am still getting over my jetlag after two international and five internal flights in China. What a trip! Not time for scetching but lots of resource photos. More on that later. Meanwhile, back to the excitement of Fall shows.

Mark your calendars!
North York Visual Artists Art Tour and Sale September 24 and 25 and Oct 1 and Oct 2
I will be showing in the community centre at Mitchell Field (Located on Church Street, East of Yonge, South of Finch) with seven other artists on Sept 24 and 25 ONLY. Other artists will show in the new Edithvale Community Centre near Finch and Yonge, and in their home studios. More details and a map can be found in the brochure at the North York Visual Artists website http://www.http//nyva.ca NOTE, the tour is held for two weekends. The brochure indicates which artists are only exhibiting on the first weekend, which includes me.

The Yonge Lawrence Artwalk Oct 14 - Nov3
The Yonge Lawrence VIA presents the 7th annual artwal. Local business will host the works of local artistin mediums ranging from watercolours to photography. Artists' works will be deplayed in local merchants"window and Establishments along Yonge Street between Lawrence Avenu and Yonge Bolevard City Councillors will walk the village and judge the windows for best overall creative expression and flare. Check out the Business Association website at http://www.yongelawrencevillage-bia.com/ This year I will be located in the window of Cruise Holidays at 5418 Yonge Street (West Side,near Fairlawn)

North Toronto Group of Artists Fall Art Show and Sale November 4 and 5
Local artists will be personally showing their latest artwork at Blessed Sacrament Church, 24 Cheritan Ave. located just one block south of Lawrence on Yonge Street. Hours of show are Fri evening 6.00 to 9.00 (opening Fri night reception by invitation only) and hours on Sat from 10..00 to 3.30. If you plan to attend the evening reception, please RSVP to ntga@gmail.com. Details and the brochure can be obtained from http://ntga.blogspot.com or at aneidhardt@rogers.com

Hope to see you there!

Take Thee to a Gallery

2011-08-03T16:02:00.001-04:00

Still in the throws of summer doldrums, I decided to take my own advice and visit a gallery for inspiration. The McMichael Gallery in Klienberg, http://www.mcmichael.com/, in addition to it's regular collection of Candian art, currently has two very interesting exhibitions. Marc-Aurele Fortin was a painter from Quebec from 1888 to 1970. He painted luminous, colourful landscapes of Quebec city, Charlevoix and Montreal in watercolour, oil, pastel and casein. He produced and estimated 8000 to 100,000 works, many of which were lost to fire, poor storage and unscrupulous dealers. Very inspiring!

The other artist of interest is Ivan Eyre, a living artist from Saskatchewan who has been producing art for 50 years. He is a painter and sculptor.There is an indoor exhibit and also nine of his very large and imposing sculptures in the new " Sculpture Garden".

Artist's Block

2011-06-26T18:17:00.001-04:00

I am in the painting doldrums lately - a total lack of creative ideas and inspiration. Sometimes it's good to become a blob for awhile and not try to force the return of the "muse". Other suggestions I have heard include:

* Pull out all your old resources and review them with a fresh eye.
* Take out some old paintings, that with some judicious cropping and editing may get you started again.
* Look in the dictionary for inspiration
* Think of what makes you angry, happy, or sad and just start to paint.
* Put on some music, and let it inspire you.
* Think of a favorite poem, novel or film and try to indicate it's appeal for you in paint.
* For fun and mabye a kickstart go online to the abstract art title generator at http://noemata.net/pa/titlegen/
* Visit a gallery and just soak it in which I recently did at the special exhibition of Abstract Expressionism from New York at the Art Gallery of Ontario

See Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and others from May 5 to August 7, 2011

*Of course the best advice is just to pick up a brush and put paint to paper - something usually happens - see below - (no Pollock, me!)

Unblocked

Now that I'm unblocked, I hope to see you at the summer show of the Willowdale Group of artits:

MAGICAL WORLD OF COLOUR

The Paper Mill Gallery – Todmorden Mills

June 29th – July 10th

See WWW. WGA.ca for details

Steinbech and Saatchi and Painting

2011-06-01T16:44:00.000-04:00

This is the latest in what has become my "old man" series.

Travels with Charley

Why that name, you may ask? As the painting evolved I decided to place the old fellow and his dog looking longingly at the window of a travel agency. He is shoeless, as if longing for a walk on a sandy beach. He is actually standing on "sand" at the window and looking at sand in the posters. Of course he may simply have lost his shoe.

I was suddenly reminded of "Travels with Charley" - a travel memoir by John Steinbeck, full of interesting characters, insights into life and searching thoughts on loneliness. When he was sixty years old he set out "in search of America, with the same longing for adventure I tried to represent in the figure. He traveled in a truck named for Don Quixote's horse, Rocinante.

Speaking of literature, I looked forward to reading "My Name is Charles Saatchi and I am an Artoholic". How disappointing! How arrogant! Saatchi is "the most influential art collector of our time" and founded the 70,000 square foot Saatchi Gallery in London. He has refused in the past to be interviewed, but did condescend to respond to journalist's questions which form the basis of the book. When asked his opinion on the "point of art", he said it is "to stop our eyeballs from going into meltdown from all the rubbish TV and films we happily look at the rest of the time." When asked if elephant dung is as valid as gouach, he said; "Elephant dung is so last season, darling."

Saatchi is married to Nigella Lawson, who he admits is too good for him, but according to his friends, his real and unwavering crush is on himself. Read the book if you must, but time is better spent at the gallery itself at

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/

Getting the Most From Art Workshops

2011-05-19T17:38:00.000-04:00

I just attended an excellent workshop provided by the Toronto Watercolour Society, of which I am a member. The guest artist was Stephen Quiller. He is a fabulous artist of international acclaim and so inspirational. He paints impressionistic landscapes in water media, primarily around his home, which is in the "high country" in Colorado. I had admired his paintings and so was determined to get the most out of the opportunity. Next time I will remember these helpful conclusions that I reached at the end of the workshop and hope they will be helpful to you if you will be attending one in the future:
*Check the work of the instructor on the Internet to ensure the work is exciting to you and something to help your art grow.
*Read instructional books written by the artist if possible, in advance to get a "heads up" on the approach.
*Bring a camera and capture images as the work progresses for review later. Most instructors won't object.
*Take notes of new techniques and helpful hints. They may become more significant to you as your painting evolves.
*Ask questions, but find out if it is preferable to wait till there is a break in the demonstration.
*Have plentiful and appropriate supplies. Check them before you leave as it is more than annoying to be without your brushes etc. A list of supplies is usually provided in advance, but review it carefully, and see if you already have materials that can be substituted. (You can end up with very specific supplies that are not used)
*Spend time with others. Often the best tips come from fellow students.
*Be open to whatever is happening and don't be afraid to try new things.
*Be prepared to produce paintings that disappoint you. You are there to learn new things - not create masterpieces, with others around, in a limited period of time.
*Most of all - have fun!

Why Was the Art Dealer in Debt?

2011-05-06T14:56:00.001-04:00

Of course you won't get the answer to this mind blowing question until the end of the post!
Meanwhile, to continue my foray into "Terraskin"which I mentioned in a recent post that I was about to try as a new painting support. The treeless paper, manufactured in Taiwan and sold under the TerraSkin brand, is three parts recycled calcium carbonate—the same mineral in marble and limestone—and one part polyethylene binder. It's production requires no water or bleach and only half the energy needed to make traditional paper. This produces an environmentally friendly product. It is reported to be multimedia paper and similar to 385lb watercolour paper. It is also similar to Yupo paper, which I enjoy using, but absorbs some of the paint as opposed to the paint sitting completely on the surface. You can't tear it as you do watercolour paper and it has a quiet dense feel. Below you will find my first effort on Terraskin . I used gouache, India ink and watercolour crayon. Can you see a difference from watercolour paper? This painting is 20x12 and is called Into the Woods. I am now anxious to try other media on Terraskin.

There are increasingly more new art materials on the market to entice the painter whose creative muse has taken a hike. Sometimes that can be a major distraction, both financially and in time-wasting detours. Sometimes however, they are just fun, and very occasionally point your art in a new direction.
I have just finished a home studio tour and am involved in the Willowdale Group of Artists, Spring Juried show at North York Civic Center, and the Willowdale Group of Artist's summer show at Todmorden Mills. I am focusing now on cleaning up the junk in my basement studio. After that, I will do a lot of reading, walking, taking photos and planning. I really believe in the advice that I have read, that suggests that as long as you do something in art everyday, you will keep the juices flowing. I hope so! In the meantime --- Why was the art dealer in debt? Because he had no Monet!

MORE AGAIN ABOUT ME

2011-04-03T15:18:00.000-04:00

There are some interesting art events coming up!

NORTH TORONTO GROUP OF ARTISTS SPRING STUDIO TOUR PREVIEW EVENTS

LOCKE LIBRARY ART DEMONSTRATIONS
by Studio Tour Artists

Saturday, March 19th
Tony Cook, watercolour 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Joan McGivney, acrylic 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Saturday, April 16th
Harry Tanner, miniature art 9:00 am - 1:00 m
Sandra Iafrate, oil 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Free Admission

Located at 3083 Yonge Street (south-east corner of Yonge & Lawrence)
Nearest TTC subway station is Lawrence on the Yonge Line.

STARBUCK'S
across from Sporting Life (2630 Yonge Street at Yonge & Craighurst)
Presents a collection of small works of original art by the exhibiting artists of the Spring Studio Tour.
For the month of April. Visit this exhibition during regular business hours.

RBC
(3324 Yonge at Yonge & Cranbrooke)
Featuring exhibiting artists of the Spring Studio Tour for the month of April.
Visit this exhibition during regular business hours.

PATISSERIE SEBASTIEN
(3306 Yonge Street - at Yonge & Fairlawn)
Featuring exhibiting artists of the Spring Studio Tour for the month of April.
Visit this exhibition during regular business hours.

SPRING STUDIO TOUR SATURDAY APRIL 30 & SUNDAY MAY 1, 2011

11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Rain or Shine
Free Admission

Studio Tour Area:
Eglinton to Wilson
Avenue to Mount Pleasant

Spend a wonderful weekend with local artists! The 3rd Annual North Toronto Group of Artists Spring Studio Tour invites you to step into our creative spaces, studios and homes of our talented local artists and see what inspires us! Meet the artists personally. Original artwork will be available for purchase.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Helena Wulff, Deborah Gordon, Sherry Boeckh, Harry Tanner, Joan McGivney, Judi Lederman, Julie Hill, Irene Sakata, Anne Neidhardt, Moira McElhinney, Maggie Doswell, Sheila Victor, Susan Brown, John Nussbaum, Jill Klaehn, Sandra Iafrate, Tony Cook, and Jon Ward.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL US AT NTGA2011@GMAIL.COM or for a map of studio locations go to www.northtorontogroupofartists.com

EVENT SPONSORS:
RBC - 3224 Yonge Street, 416-974-2988
THE HOME TEAM - Bosley Real Estate - Elspeth Sinclair 416-481-61377 www.bosleyrealestate.com
JOHN KIMMEL Florist - 345 Burnett Ave., 416-487-0557
CRICKET HILL HOMES - www.crickethillhomes.com
PAPERMARCHE - 3429 Yonge Street, www.papermarche.ca
KARMA CREATIVE - 485 Lawrence Ave. West, 416-707-7574, www.karma-creative.ca
CURRY'S ART SUPPLIES - www.currys.com
DR. JEFF GLAIZEL, Dentist - Yonge & York Mills Dental Clinic, 416-229-0416
DICKINSON GALLERY - 1914 Avenue Road, 416-781-4988, www.dickinsongallery.com

See www.willowdalegroupofartitsts.com for more information

When is a Painting Finished?

2011-03-26T14:38:00.001-04:00

Some say a painting is never finished because there is always more to say. Some say a painting can quickly be "overworked" and turn to "mud", particularly in watercolour. Some say that simple is better and the longer you work on a painting, the more unnecessary detail you add. In the previous post "Distracted by Abstraction" http://timeforart-anne.blogspot.com/2011/01/distracted-by-abstraction.html I posted two abstract paintings which were completed before they were titled. I had "finished" the paintings but did not do what is important - provide "viewing time". This involves looking at a painting upside down, sideways and in a mirror. Looking in a mirror provides a view of the painting as if you are seeing it for the first time and as an objective onlooker. Asking others for an opinion at this stage is not always worthwhile, as this is your vision and it may not appeal to that particular individual. One of the best tactics is to place it in an area of your home where it is within your view on a regular basis. In the past I have "finished" and framed a painting, only to see much later, what appeared to be a green man appearing in the brushstrokes of the foliage. Probably no one else saw the "green man" but I did. Here for your comments now are the "finished" and titled acrylic paintings.

Fiesta

Rain Forest

I am starting to try a new paper support called Terraskin. This paper is basically made from stone: a combination of mineral powder and resin. It can be used for acrylics,inks, oils and watercolour. It is water resistant and so has limited absorption and so allows for easier wiping out if using watercolour. It is produced without water, trees or bleach and so is very environmentally friendly. Always something to stimulate renewed creativity!

What Did the Artist Say to the Dentist?

2011-02-28T19:30:00.002-05:00

Hold your breath for the answer to that question. First, to the business at hand. Some time ago I posted the beginnings of Cascade 111 on Yupo paper, with the idea of sharing the progression of the painting. As I didn't receive any negative comments, I assumed the painting was going well, in fact may be perfect, and finished it. I will let you be the judge.

The beginning of Cascade 111

Am I on the right track???

Cascade 111

Comments please!!!!!

What did the artist say to the dentist????

"Matisse hurt".

I think that I had better stick to painting - or maybe not!

Art for All Canada

2011-02-15T11:06:00.000-05:00

Art For All Canada presents the AFAC 2011 Conference for Artists and Art Show , a not-for-profit event for artists by artists.
Details:
Conference: March 5-6th, 2011, 10am-4pm; and Art Show: March 5-12th
Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

This conference was most enjoyable and educational last year, and a great networking opportunity for artists. The art show in the rotunda of Metro Hall was impressive. This year I am looking forward to taking part in the show with this painting:

The Meadow

For more information and registration, contact WWW.artforallcanada.org

Work in Progress

2011-02-07T19:19:00.001-05:00

I am sharing the first stage of a painting on Yupo paper. The painting will ultimately be called "Cascade 111", as part of a very watery series done on this interesting alternative to traditional watercolour paper. Think of a piece of thick glossy plastic tablecloth and you will be close to understanding the characteristics of this Japanese plastic paper. The watercolour paint is more vibrant because it does not sink into the paper. Because the colour sits on top however, it is a challenge to manipulate the paint to create an image. This is also an advantage, as loose and more abstract effects can be achieved. At this point in the process, paint has been applied to the sky and the cliffs. A light spray encourages the paint to move around, particularly if the
board is tilted in different directions. More to be done here. I will keep you posted.

I did have a very kind comment on one of the latest "abstractions", however, I intend to re-work both of them to my greater satisfaction. One of the important lessons to learn as an artist is to view a finished painting from many angles and positions, including upside down and in a mirror, and to let it sit around for awhile to penetrate your consciousness entirely. I thought I had done that, but not for long enough. One advantage of this blog is to be able to brazenly view your completed pieces in public. They often look different viewed through that lens. Hopefully the comments from readers can shed some light on the strengths and weaknesses of the art so please comment or check off "reactions"!

Take the opportunity, if you have not done so, to view 17 great art museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Hermitage at www.googleartproject.com/. A fascinating virtual tour of the buildings and art - quite new! More museums will be added in time.

I am also working on another in my "old man and dog" series, which continues to give me a great deal of pleasure. This one is titled "Travels with Charley". If you have read the book by that name by Steinbeck, you already may have some images in mind.

Distracted by Abstraction

2011-01-13T19:01:00.001-05:00

I am back into abstract painting. Continuing to explore abstraction is one of my "creative resolutions" for the new year. The question that arises for me is - what comes first - the painting or the title when doing abstracts? Even more challenging is the question - are titles important or even necessary in abstract art? Is the emotional connection to the painting the thing, rather than a somewhat arbitrary title? Does the title help focus your response to a piece of abstract art? More on that later. Meanwhile there is an "Abstract Art Title Generator" to provide some tongue-in-cheek assistance at
ttp://noemata.net/pa/titlegen/.
The latest two paintings were completed before they were titled. As a result they are called "Abstraction 1" and "Abstraction 2". I should have used the "generator" which came up with "Component with Morphism" and "Ode to Quirky Insight". What do you think fits better?

Abstraction 1

Abstraction 2

At all points in my painting life I shall content myself with the words of Eugène Delacroix who said that "Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything." Just in case you think he's a slouch, check below.

Welcome a New Decade

2011-01-02T18:17:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in a previous blog that I would think about "creativity resolutions" for the new year. This list will probably haunt me by next year and it is not world- changing, but you have to make an effort.
In 2011
I will paint more watercolour on Yupo paper, continue exploring abstract painting, particularly abstract landscapes, investigate the creative possibilities that collage offers, continue my series of "old men", try new acrylic techniques and look into all the options for watercolours without glass and frames.
PS. Visit more art galleries.

Good news for the new decade! According to Robert Genn, a Canadian painter who produces a regular newsletter called Painter's Keys, about art and other arty thoughts - "Fine art is on the way in. In our gadgety, thing-happy society where Walmart and creeping meatballism threaten, painting is hot. Old fashioned as the shoeing of horses--about the same methodology for the last six hundred years--art fills a vital human need for life enhancement. Art reboots the cerebral cortex, teaches new skills to underutilized hands, arouses dormant sensitivities and promotes latent passions. If need be, art gives us something to talk about besides the kids, grandkids and celebrities, hence making us more interesting people. And it's cheap--a month of art supplies for the average Daumier is about the same as a round of golf."

Think about art and click on this video link. The paintings of Van Gogh are set to music, the lyrics of which have been changed to reflect the art. Enjoy and happy new year!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dipFMJckZOM

Joy

2010-12-22T20:33:00.000-05:00

I am posting the only kind of seasonal painting I have ever done - gone to a good home.

The Red Umbrella

This painting was done for a friend and told a very important personal story for her. I thought the red umbrella (that was really in the actual scene) made the painting.
Yesterday, I met the "old dandy" that inspired " The Pursuit of Happiness" painting in a previous post. I recognized him by the "bent knee strut" because of his arthritis. He was totally charming. We are now friends and he talks of us as neighbours, although we live a few blocks apart. Little does he know how close he and I were as I laboured over his somewhat modified image in my painting. What a thrill!

I am continuing my foray into colour and abstraction, that is if I don't become too "abstracted" to finish. In my next post, I also hope to share my New Year's creative resolutions so stay tuned! I have not forgotten to take up in the near future, the thread of "What is Art"?

It's All About Colour

2010-11-27T15:54:00.001-05:00

Painting is all about colour. There is no painting without colour - even if it is in black and white - although some would say that those are non-colours. Design, compostion, theme or subject are superimposed on colour. The following two paintings are purely a response to colour.
This of course opens up the whole discussion about what is art -more on that later.

Verdure

Orange Catalyst

Inspiration

2010-11-15T22:01:00.003-05:00

What inspires us to paint a subject? There are a thousand answers for a thousand artists and a thousand paintings.
I had an inspiration several years ago when I saw an elderly man in France. He was walking downhill between houses on a village road. He had on a coat that had fit him at one point, but now he was very thin. He had an old slouchy hat. He had a small poodle on a leash which looked as old as he was. He appeared to have come out of a cafe. It was very poignant. What was his story? Was he alone and lonely? Was he going home to his wife? Was the dog, his best and only pal? The idea was to do a painting that captured the mood of the scene and all it's questions for the viewer. Since then I have done the "Old Man and Dog" in about six paintings in many guises and environments. I think he will be with me forever.
My current "old man" is a "dandy", and the "old lady" in the painting is after him - thus the title "The Pursuit of Happiness". I had seen him a couple of times, always looking smart, with his knee socks and hat. He was still jaunty in spite of obvious arthritis, which forced him to walk with bent knees. He looks attainable in the painting, but finally turns away. Perhaps his mind is elsewhere. What would happen if the old lady caught him?

The Pursuit of Happiness

Art Walk

2010-10-25T20:21:00.000-04:00

The Yonge Lawrence Art Walk is continuing till November 4. Local businesses highlight original artwork in window displays and in-store. They do a wonderful job of working with the artists to create an exciting annual event. Look for "official participants display cards" and VOTE online for the "People's Choice Award" for best Art Display. Come "walk the ARTWALK" and check out original artwork by local artists in a variety of media. Visit www.yongelawrencevillage-bia.com/ for details.
This year, I will be located in the window of Papermarche at 3429 Yonge Street. http://www.papermarche.com/ with two paintings which bring back wistfull memories of "cottage country" in the summer.

Northern Lake

Haliburton Still

It's All About Shape and Sensitivity

2010-10-01T16:42:00.000-04:00

The Distillery District in Toronto is a fascinating historical area. It is home to art galleries, restaurants, the Soulpepper Theatre and boutiques - all housed in the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery. www.thedistillerydistrict.com/.
A variety of events take place here all year round. That makes it a great place for people watching and sources for painting! It is also a romantic place as you will see from the latest mixed media painting which captures a moment in time at the Distillery. I was attracted to the spontaneity of the couple and the shape their bodies made around each other. I enjoyed the cool shadows cast by the old buildings.I loved the old clock and placed them in front of it to show the timelessness of a young couple in love. Painting figures which tell a human story is an area of increasing interest to me.

A Kiss in Time

It's All About Me

2010-09-12T20:06:00.000-04:00

"Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint you can on it " says Danny Kaye, and I am certainly trying to do that!

I have several art shows coming up this Fall and hope you will stop by to say "hello".
The season begins with:

North York Visual Artists Art Tour and Sale September 25 & 26
Mitchell Field Community Centre

(Mitchell Field Community Centre is located on Church Street, just East of Yonge and South of Finch)
I will be showing in the community centre with seven other artists. Other artists in our organization are in their home studios. More details and a map can be found in the brochure on the North York Visual Artists Website http://www.nyva.ca/

Note: The tour is held for two weekends. The brochure indicates which artists are only exhibiting on the first weekend, which includes me.

Yonge Lawrence ARTWALK October 15 to November 4

The Yonge Lawrence Village BIA presents the 6th annual Artwalk. Local businesses will host the works of local artists in mediums ranging from watercolours to photography. Artists’ works will be displayed in local merchants’ windows and establishments along Yonge Street between Lawrence Avenue and Yonge Boulevard.City Councillors will walk the Village and judge the windows for best overall creative impression and flair and determine the 1st, 2nd & 3rd place winners. Check out the Business Association website at http://www.yongelawrencevillage-bia.com/
to view last year's photos. This year, I will be located in the window of Papermarche at 3429 Yonge Street. http://www.papermarche.com/

Parallel Lines October 1 to Oct 30 Starbucks at Yonge and Brookdale.

An exhibition of 20 paintings by the North Toronto Group of Artists, as a preliminary to their Fall show

North Toronto Group of Artists Fall Art Show November 5 and 6.

Mark your calendars! This year's art show and sale will take place on November 5th and 6th. 20 local artists will be personally showing their latest artwork to the public at this annual arts event. NEW LOCATION...Blessed Sacrament Church, 24 Cheritan Ave. located just one block south of Lawrence on Yonge Street. HOURS OF SHOW are Friday evening 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm (*opening night reception by invitation only) and Saturday 10:00 am to 3:30 pm. FREE ADMISSION to the Public on Saturday. . Email northtorontogroupofartists@gmail.com for more information or the website at http://www.northtorontogroupofartists.com/
**If you plan to attend the opening night reception, please email me at aneidhardt@rogers.com so that I can send you an invitation and put your name on the list.

Hope to see you there!

Just in case you think that I am too busy promoting and not painting,

Hie Me to a Nunnery!

2010-09-02T15:38:00.000-04:00

I am leaving abstraction for the moment and finishing two more realistic paintings started some time ago. These paintings are in watercolour, but I have also done some figurative paintings in acrylic.

I get very excited when I see the possibilities for paintings as I observe people in unique settings, doing unusual things or simply casting a clear light on the ordinary everyday. I am also very attracted to the idea of painting people that are "forgotten" in various ways.

The following paintings are not about “forgotten” people, but about nuns enjoying life.
It was so charming to watch a group of nuns in Rome winding there way down a busy street. The juxtaposition of the habit and the designer shopping bag drew my attention and amused me. What was in it?? Thus – “Blessings from Gucci.” The younger nun looks interested, while the more mature nun behind has an air of disapproval.

Blessings from Gucci

I originally thought of calling this painting “Free at Last”, but thought better of it. That does express the carefree feeling the painting is trying to recreate, however. This is a nun, spied wheeling along a path in a convent beside the St. Lawrence in Quebec City. Such fun to be a nun!

Nun A La Carte

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Hie Me To a Nunnery!

2010-09-02T15:02:00.001-04:00

I get very excited when I see the possibilities for paintings when I am able to observe people in unique settings, doing unusual things or simply casting a clear light on the ordinary everyday. I am also very attracted to the idea of painting people that are "forgotten" in various ways.
The following paintings

More Celestial Stuff About Art

2010-08-30T13:29:00.000-04:00

I am still in a celestial mood and have found a wonderful website for those that are feeling a bit "spacey" or are followers of clouds. It has great photographs and information about clouds, and paintings of all kinds related to clouds. Enjoy. http://cloudappreciationsociety.org

Speaking of the Sky

2010-08-30T13:21:00.001-04:00

Time for more art.

2010-08-20T20:52:00.000-04:00

I am still on an interstellar trip! One more effort on that theme and another abstract. This is a series I feel that I can continue with at some point, until I am "spaced out" - a good starting title for the next one.

Galaxy

I am back for now to acrylic. I paint in watercolour or acrylic depending on the subject, the mood of the painting, or my mood at the moment.  (There is no clue to my mood in the medium, just so you know)
I just got back from Haliburton and am reminded again about the beauty of cottage country and the inspiration it provides. I photographed an old cottage which I have painted before for a friend, and now see other beautiful possibilities as it settles even more into the surrounding landscape like a grand dame. I have done about five landscapes from that area, and realize one could go on forever, as many artists do.
It is difficult to focus on one area of interest, when there are so  many fascinating subjects. Speaking of fascinating subjects, I am starting on my "nuns." Yes - sisters of the cloth. I did say I had trouble focusing, but so little time, and so many great potential ideas for paintings. My sisterly ideas came seeing some wonderfully human moments involving nuns from Rome and Quebec City.

Thought for the day: "Abstract art is a product of the untalented, sold by the unprincipled to the utterly bewildered."   Al Capp

Please comment - I have very thick skin!

I'm Havin' a Heat Wave

2010-08-12T17:22:00.001-04:00

This amazing spell of hot weather has made me want to do some loose and cool watercolours, or "watercoolers". The "nebulae" paintings are done with watercolour paint on yupo paper, which allows the paint to slip around in an easy way - just right for this weather. I had just read something about nebulae and found them very beautiful. When I slowly started to manipulate paint, I began to feel nebulous. There is art which is very planned, and there is art that "happens". The nebulae melted into my conscious. Nebula is from the Latin - "cloud". These are interstellar clouds of dust, and gases, some of them are very beautiful. I hope you enjoy mine.

Nebula 1

Nebula 2

Welcome to my blog and first post

2010-07-26T20:28:00.003-04:00

I am so happy to welcome you to "Time for Art". I hope to share my new paintings with you and the thoughts behind them. I also hope that you will view the gallery and comment on the paintings there. I have had a very inspirational July- a trip to Scandinavia and the Baltic which will yield many resources for great paintings, including a trip to the Hermitage with amazing art, from Rembrandt to Picasso.I also visited to the McMichael Gallery of Canadian Art in Kleinburg, which has a current exhibit of photos taken of the location where many of the paintings of the Group of Seven, were actually done. As always, a visit to the Outdoor Art Exhibition in Nathan Phillips Square "kicks you up a notch" in terms of your next artistic efforts.

I participated in an art exhibition at the Mackay House in Unionville in July, as part of the North York Visual Artists.www.nyva.ca/ and I have two paintings exhibited at the Etobicoke Civic Centre as part of the Willowdale Group of artists. www.willowdaleartists.com/

Check out my "waiting for painting inspiration" with a blank frame--- a photo on the grounds of the McMichael Gallery.

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